Fire is the last of her kind, a human monster, both incredibly beautiful and able to control the minds of the people around her. In an attempt to live down the horrors that her father, also a human monster, visited upon the Dells, Fire keeps a low profile and avoids the politics of a kingdom on the verge of war. Until the arrival of foggy-minded strangers and increasing tensions between the lords of the Dells force her to take center stage in the unfolding battle.
When I started this book, I thought it was a sequel to Cashore's first book Graceling. It's kind of linked- Fire is set in a bordering land and has one connecting character, but seems to take place a couple of decades before the events in Graceling. It didn't take me long to stop looking for connections between the two books. Fire is a compelling character and the world in which she lives is untamed and less oppressive than the world in Graceling. This book works well as a stand alone- I actually liked this story better than the first. It's layered with intrigue, threats and blood and has just enough romantic tension to be interesting. I did figure out a couple of the plot points well in advance, but that didn't bother me... it just made me feel smart!
I loved Fire too! I agree, I wish it was a little more up-front about being a companion novel instead of a sequel because most of the negative reviews I've seen about it have revolved around the fact that it is not a sequel. I loved it though and I am so excited for the third to come out!
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